Introduction: Cardiac events are one of the leading causes of death in the Spanish population. Given the increase in the nontraumatic medical conditions found in mountain rescues, the objective of this study was to report on the heart conditions of patients rescued in the mountains of Aragón in the Spanish Pyrenees.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study based on data collected from patients' medical histories for rescues undertaken in from 2010 to 2016 (at altitudes between 500 m [1640 ft] and 3404 m [11,168 ft]).
Results: Of the 2079 individuals rescued from 2010 to 2016, 34 (2%) were diagnosed with heart conditions, accounting for 21% of all nontraumatic medical conditions. The data showed a statistically significant increase in the age of the rescued patients with heart conditions (55±15 y) and those with acute coronary syndrome/sudden death (60±8 y). Eighty-five percent of the rescued patients with heart conditions were men, 62% were rescued above 2000 m (6500 ft), 42% had acute coronary syndrome (of whom 56% had inferior infarction), and 35% died suddenly.
Conclusions: Aragón mountain rescues show an increase in patient age in recent years. The most common medical case among rescued individuals with heart conditions was a hiker over the age of 50 y with cardiovascular risk factors, inferior infarction, and occurrence at an altitude above 2000 m. Based on our observations, appropriate training should be undertaken, especially by older hikers, who may also benefit from cardiac screening, and rescue vehicles/personnel and mountain huts should be equipped with semiautomatic external defibrillators.
Keywords: acute coronary syndrome; altitude; emergencies; sudden death.
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